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Welcome
We can't quite believe that's another year almost over! The last few months of the year always seem to fly by in the run up to Christmas. The dark evenings have closed in and made nightly dog walk a little less scenic, and the frosty weather has us all scraping ice off the cars every morning.
It’s always lovely to see so many people come out and pay their respects on Remembrance Sunday including the local scouts and other groups.
The festivities are already underway in Baldock. Father Christmas and his team of merry helpers have already begun making their rounds with more areas scheduled over the coming weeks.
You may have spotted the Christmas lights going up around town recently. The big tree will have been installed just before this issue reaches your doorstep, as always huge thanks to Stuart Matthews and his team for organising the tree again this year. The decorations include personalised baubles featuring names of local businesses and families wishing you a Merry Christmas.
The main fair will take place from 11am on Saturday and feature plenty of stalls selling unique Christmas gifts and treats. All leading up to the big light switch on at 6pm.
If you can't wait until then, Vintage Co on the High Street, have their Christmas Soirée on Thursday 5th December 6-9pm!
Oakleys Farm have a brilliant new website and are taking orders online for their fresh farm reared turkeys, be sure to get your order in early to secure yours for the big day. And for anyone wondering these birds are amazing and obviously they’re ready to go in the oven, someone did ask if they came with feathers on.
As always, a huge thank you to all of the lovely businesses that have helped to support the magazine again this year and our brilliant delivery team.
We would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
This year Baldock's Christmas Fayre is kicking off with the warm up party on Friday 6th December with live music, food stalls, a mini fun fair for the little ones and of course a bar. Paul & Jacqui
info@onourdoorstepbaldock.co.uk or 07973 788418
LocalFarmersJointhe NationinLondonProtest
Local Farmers who have been appalled at the recent budget changes took to the streets of London last Tuesday to stand with the rest of the farming community to protest over government approach to farming in the recent budget. They joined over 45,000 farmers in Whitehall in a peaceful protest at government's an -farming moves that threaten rural livelihoods.
The day saw a change to the planned schedule owing to so many farmers turning out to show their support so the walk along Whitehall couldn't go ahead as planned. But farmers and their children stood shoulder to shoulder in the freezing cold as the rain came down, listening to inspiring talks from speakers represen ng the farming world, including of course, Mr Jeremy Clarkson who aside from the organizers, got the most rousing cheer of the day.
The day was brought together under the hashtag #WeJustWantToFeedYou and feed they did. Every farmer was asked to
bring a dona on of Bri sh produce for UK food bank, City Harvest and in total they donated 6.6 tonnes of food, enough for over 15,000 meals.
Farmers also held a minute's silence for those that have already taken their own lives due to the added pressures these changes have caused.
James Oakley from Dairy Farm, Bygrave said ”If businesses have to fold due to taxes being unaffordable then the system is wrong. Farmers are the backbone of our country. We clear roads in the snow, we maintain hedgerows and above all we feed the na on! If farmers sell up, it will only be the mega corpora ons who can afford it - Not young farmers keen to set themselves up in agriculture, like most young people we struggle to get on the housing ladder let alone afford enough land to build a new farming business.
Farmers will not take this laying down we will stand for what is right.”
He was joined in London by his Aunt
and Cousin, 6th and hoping to be 7th genera on farmers in Kelshall who will be directly affected by the changes.
As an added bonus organizers from the MET said this was the cleanest protest there's ever been.
Our Railways are Broken
Our railways are broken. That is the simple truth that we, as Baldock residents, are seeing day-to-day. It is very welcome that the Government are going to bring our failing railways back into public ownership, so that public interests rather than private decide what service we should get. We need a train schedule that works for us rather than having services cut over and over again because the private owners care more for profit than they care for us. It is also great that the government is bringing forward legisla on to take the buses back under local control, so that we have a connected public transport system.
However, and it's a big however, we need ac on now. We are seeing frequent disrup ons and cancella ons, with a stark example of 43% of services cancelled on 9th October and many other services cancelled in the same week and month with li le no ce.
There are hundreds of commuters in Baldock who rely on trains running as scheduled, but this current poor management of services is leaving them in uncertainty every morning that they get ready for work.
Adding to these issues is the complete lack of communica on and support from the train company, Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), who have le us with li le to no staff support and, even when there are staff, they can't manage with the sheer number of commuters needing assistance. Our MP, Chris Hinchliff, has wri en to GTR about this. Our MP told them, in no uncertain terms, that when cancella ons or disrup ons do happen, which is occasionally unavoidable, there should be clear communica on, be er customer support from staff, and a seamless con ngency service with replacement buses rather than just advice like one resident who was told that they should just 'get a li '.
The 'Baldock SOS' Whatsapp group, which serves as a vital resource for commuters, have wri en to the Secretary of State for Transport, Louise Haigh, and to Great Northern Railway (who sit under GTR's umbrella company) to urge them to take ac on to deal with these issues through immediate ac on. Our MP is going to meet with GTR to raise further concerns and the con nuing issues soon.
Chris Hinchliff has submi ed a ques on to the Secretary of State for Transport asking about the issue of the lack of disabled access to our sta on which has been a con nuing issue that I have raised many mes over the last few years, and will also raise this with GTR. Cllrs Emma Rowe, Stewart Willoughby, Rhona Cameron, and myself are commi ed to suppor ng this campaign and have raised these concerns and issues in various mee ngs and will con nue to do so.
If you want to get involved, or get no fica ons when there are issues, you can join the 'Baldock Rail Users Group' on Facebook and the 'Baldock SOS' Whatsapp group.
If you want to get in touch to discuss this or any other concerns, ques ons, or casework you may have, you can contact me at Alistair.Willoughby@northherts.gov.uk
Cllr Alistair Willoughby
Baldock Rotary Jazz Concert
Baldock Rotary recently held its tradi onal Jazz Concert in aid of the Motor Neurone Disease Associa on (MND), A charity that has recently come into prominence in the spor ng world. The concert held at Knight's Templar School a racted a sell-out audience of 150 people who came to enjoy jazz played by the Apex Jazz band, a fish and chip supper and extensive raffle.
The band comprised Peter Chapman clarinet, Andy Moran trumpet, Adrian Cosker tenor sax, Mar n Ley trombone, Mike O'Neill piano, Len Crawley percussion, Tomas Pederson bass. The band opened with Just a Li le While to Stay Here and played a variety of favourite jazz numbers including Ain't Misbehavin, C'est Magnifique, Georgia On My Mind, Can't Give You Anything But Love and finished with Bring Me Sunshine and Bourbon Street Parade.
The evening, expertly organised by Carol and Keith Bri er, provided another example of Baldock Rotary Club working in and with the community to provide funds which will be donated to a most deserving charity.
Overall, it was an extremely entertaining evening, complemented by the humorous repartee of Peter and Keith, which was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone present, although it was generally agreed that Peter's jokes do not get any be er!!
Keith in thanking everyone for their support, be it from a ending the concert, helping to stage the evening or dona ng raffle prizes, also thanked everyone for their generosity in making the evening such a success.
Rotary President Garry Blyth then thanked Carol for organising the event and presented a bouquet of flowers in apprecia on.
Baldock Rotary is always looking to a ract new members, so if you are the type of person who is in a posi on to “give something back” to the Community, we would love to hear from you. Our ac vi es and aims can be summarised as; Fundraising for charitable causes
Support for the local Community Aid for interna onal disasters
Make new friends and have fun at our organised social events
If you are interested in any aspect of what Rotary has to offer, please contact us on our website, www.rotaryribi.org/clubs/homepage.php?ClubID=454 or contact our Membership Securectary Michael Muir, tel 07909 002631, email michael.muir@her ordshire.gov.uk Rotarian - Paul Lucke
Baldock Branch
Screen this months new releases
Leaders of the world's wealthiest democracies gather for the annual G7 summit to draft a provisional statement regarding a global crisis. They soon become spectacles of incompetence, contending with increasingly surreal obstacles as night falls in the misty woods and they realize they are suddenly alone.
This is the action-packed origin story of how and why one of Marvel's most iconic villains came to be.AaronTaylor-Johnson plays Kraven, a man whose complex relationship with his ruthless father, Nikolai Kravinoff, starts him down a path of vengeance with brutal consequences, motivating him to become not only the greatest hunter in the world, but also one of its most feared.
Inspiring true story ofAnthony Robles, who was born with one leg but whose indomitable spirit and unbreakable resolve empowered him to defy the odds and pursue his dreams. With the support of his devoted mother Judy and the encouragement of his coaches, Anthony fights through adversity to earn a spot on theArizona State Wrestling team.
mufasa-the lion king
“Mufasa:The Lion King”Told in flashbacks, the story introduces Mufasa as an orphaned cub, lost and alone until he meets a sympathetic lion namedTaka.The chance meeting sets in motion an expansive journey of an extraordinary group of misfits searching for their destiny—their bonds will be tested as they work together to evade a threatening and deadly foe.
‘From August 2021 we are shutting the doors in Mansfield Road and will be working from 16 Hurst Close, Baldock SG7 6TL Appointments only’ Please call 07938509672 for more details and to book www.sewingbs.co.uk ‘For all your alterations, repairs book now via our website. For 1:1 sewing lessons please call us’ Please
Have you ever had a dream that just stays with you, it's that vivid, that you just can't shake it off. I've had a few, but the one I had the other night forced me on to google to find out the meaning of it. I'm not much into all things spiritual, I'm not a big believer in things that go bump in the night, although curiosity has got the be er of me on occasion and I've been to see a medium or two in my me. I'd describe myself as agnos c on the subject. But some mes, rarely, something makes me lean towards the concept.
Many years ago, when my kids were young, I had a dream about my smallest, he must have been about seven or eight at the me. It wasn't a nightmare, but it was deeply disturbing. He had been kidnapped by my boss and taken to Hitchin swimming pool. My boss had got himself wrapped up in the pool cover with my son and I had to save them, when I did, I magically appeared on the motorway bridge up Creamery Road (near the Jackmans) and my smallest was over the other side of the road, I couldn't get to him (for some reason I wasn't allowed to use the bridge) and found myself watching as he faded away. Pre y horrid. It stayed with me for a few days and then I decided to give it a google. It turns out that my dream meant that I needed to look at him, there was something I was missing about him. Ok I thought, I've come this far, give it a go.
r Deam On
I spent the morning studying him at play, seeing if there was anything adri . Nahda! Ok well that was stupid I thought, what was I thinking. Later, as we walked through the kitchen, him in front of me, I no ced that his leg was quite red. I went in for a closer look and found that a rather large thorn had embedded itself in his leg, it had been there a while, as the wound was going a bit green. Well well I thought, there must be something in this dream diagnosis thing. Before you ask, no, he hadn't complained or moaned about it at all, no clues were given from him concerning this giant thorn in his leg. Also, I am well aware that I have been a fully signed up member of the Bad Parent Club since nineteen nigh es. This brings me nicely to my disturbing dream of the other night. Shoes! I was being rushed out of the house by my friend and a work colleague because all of the houses in the street had loads of prams in their front gardens, I don't remember what the urgency was, but I was wondering why this par cular work colleague was in my house. I could not find a pair of shoes, I was surrounded by hundreds of them, I'd put a pair on, only to find that they weren't a pair when I looked at them, and sandals, I have never worn sandals in my life, I don't have the feet for them, actually no one does, they should be banished, I'd banish feet as well if they weren't so useful.
Strappy sandals that were broken, or I couldn't work out which strap to put where. All this me faffing about with shoes while the street outside was infested with prams and these two people were rushing me to get my shoes on. I just had to look that one up didn't I? According to the night vision experts, I have lost my way, I'm restricted and uncomfortable in my life. Apparently, in the dream world, shoes are a metaphor for our life's journey. Who knew! Strangely, I can see some truth to it. I might just get myself a diary and start to write down my nightly stories. This might help me find the new life path I'm des ned for. Probably not though, you know I can barely li a coffee cup first thing, I'm highly unlikely to author a dream sequence. So, the fes vi es can now begin in earnest, you are all clear to men on the C word now (no, not that one LG). To all of you that keep reading, bless you. Thank you for staying with it, I hope you enjoy at least some of them before you consign it to the bo om of the budgie cage. To my cri cs… Meh, I'm friends of the Editor so nah nah. Have a wonderful Christmas, get drunk, eat lots and laugh un l you pee a li le. Merry Christmas x
Nicky
Industry – Season 3 – Iplayer
Too much choice out there?
Spend more time deciding what to watch than actually watching something? LET BALDOCK'S RESiDENT TV GLUTTON HELP YOU ON YOUR MiSSiON!
The first two seasons of HBO's banking drama “Industry” were about Gen Z'ers overcome by the viciousness of high finance. The show's third season focuses on the characters embracing their monstrosity head-on. Full of breathtaking betrayals, horrific choices and new deplorable characters, Season 3 proves that its central figures are now done with child's play. They've sharpened their claws, and are ready to go in for the kill.
Created by Mickey Down and Konrad Kay (both of banking and finance backgrounds) it feels like we're a long way now from Season 1's portrayal of a group of young and inexperienced stockbrokers, with the world at their feet. By now they're exhausted, burnt out but s ll obsessed with money, status and power. We open on the coast of Mallorca. A bikini-clad Yasmin (Marisa Abela – who recently portrayed Amy Winehouse in her biobic) is seen partying on her father's yacht. This space is in direct contrast to the claustrophobic banking floor of Pierpoint & Co.'s dreary London banking office. Having her fill of the sun, Yasmin ventures into her cabin to see her publishing magnate father, Charles Hanani (Arthur Levy), in an inappropriate encounter with a member of staff. Just as quickly, the series flashes forward six weeks. Back at the bank Pierpont in the U.K, the publishing heiress sits at her desk scrolling through the Daily Mail's side bar of shame online. I
Unfortunately, her naivety and her father's recent disappearance a er embezzling millions from his own company have made her both a target of the paparazzi and a liability to the bank; she's now high profile for all the wrong reasons.
Having advanced to the associate level at Pierpoint, Robert (Harry Lawtey) is the only character harbouring a sliver of humanity by now. He is tasked with babysi ng the vola le Sir Henry Muck (a perfectly cast Kit Harington – this is no Game of Thrones Jon Snow!) in the wake of the disastrous launch of Lumi, his green energy tech company, on the stock market.
Having been ousted from Pierpoint at the end of Season 2, Harper (who has somehow become even more vicious) has found a role as an assistant at the ethical hedge fund 'Future Dawn', run by Anna Gearing (Elena Saurel), and her conniving por olio manager, Petra Koenig (Sarah Goldberg). But Harper is no desk minion. Seeing a kindred spirit in Petra's barely contained ambi on, and desperate to return to trading, Harper forms an alliance with the stone-faced blonde. It's a partnership that could rejuvenate her career at the expense of her former employer and Yasmin, the one person she seems to have any emo onal a achment to.
That's what is so dis nct about “Industry.” Amid its o bewildering finance-laden jargon (so many acronyms and finance speak) this series has never been melier. It manages to centre “woke inves ng” through Lumi while showing just how absurd the no on of ethical inves ng truly is. Throughout eight episodes, viewers see at every turn how perceived social responsibility cannot mask a ro en core.
Harper has been the pillar of the show thus far, but this season makes way for increased screen me for both new and old characters. The show introduces self-assured Sweetpea Golighlightly (Miriam Petche), a new hire with TikTok and OnlyFans businesses on the side. Moreover, a thrilling Episode 4, “White Mischief,” centres on veteran market maker Rishi Ramdani's (Sagar Radia) rapidly decaying home life and how his cocaine habit and other vices have pushed him to the edge. This was probably my standout episode of the year so far and as standalone episode should win a stack of awards.
But it's Yasmin who stands at the centre of this season. Though she is desperate to get away from predatory men like her father, she is being pursued by the kinky and emo onally s lted Sir Henry. While harbouring a shocking secret, Yasmin must decide in the final hour whether she's truly willing to carve out a life of her own or would rather lean into the monetary security and social standing she's always had at the expense of true libera on.
The inner workings of banking may have ini ally been the selling point for Industry but in its third season, the thrilling drama has moved well beyond that and the characters spending me away from the banking floor are so much be er for it. Instead, what has emerged is a series about the erosion of rela onships, why certain people will always choose themselves and why others thrive under a cycle of cruelty and malice. I loved this series and can't recommend it enough.
Baldock Gardens
By Graham Tapp
Merry Christmas, everyone. I'm just making sure I don't forget to say it before I finish writing. It is that time of the year again.
I realise some of you will be reading this early in the month and well before the festivities have started, so sorry for that.
Many, many people have, over the last few years, purchased their Christmas tree by the end of November, but if you want your tree to last through the season's celebrations, you really need to wait until the first week of December. The trees must have been stored in the coldest area possible before purchase and unwrapped (netting removed) so you can see the shape and inspect for needle drop. Take your stand with you so that the salesperson can fit it for you, and most importantly, they will make a fresh cut on the bottom of the trunk so that the tree can drink fresh water.
Some Christmas trees kept indoors in a moderately warm room will take up to three pints a day. If you let it dry out, your tree's trunk will seal itself and not take up water; the needles will then curl and or drop off.
Keep your eyes out for newer varieties that are now on sale; whilst Nordmans are still holding the lion's share of the market, there are now much prettier and scented varieties available. We will have.
Nordman Fir, in Premium, standard and second grade 1.2 mt to 2.25 mt Fraser Fir, 1.75mt to 2.25mt, is a very good needle retention tree with a wonderful pine aroma, something missing in recent tree varieties, and a slimmer shape than Nordmans. Korean Fir, 125mt to 175mt, with a scented aroma.
That's enough of Christmas; let's look at what you can do in the garden throughout December. Very often, we get lovely, dry, bright days. It would be a shame not to be outside in the garden, so how about trying some hardwood cuttings? It is not as difficult or frightening as you would think. I expect you will have shrubs, climbers, trees and
fruit bushes you would like more of. Some woody plants are easier than others to propagate, but they're all worth a go. If you are a beginner, start with something easy, such as Roses, Willow, Black, Red and white currants. Look for healthy, straight stems on the plant from which you want to take your cuttings. The cuttings want to be from as thick as a pencil up to the thickness of your little finger and six inches / 150 mm long; cut a stem towards the top and look for any soft material; make your cut below that into firm wood your cut should be immediately above a bud and at an angle, firstly to let the rainwater runoff, but also to indicate which is the top of the cutting when planting. The lower cut should be just below a bud and square; that way, you will know it is the bottom of the cutting and not plant it upside down. They can be planted in the garden or pots. If planting outside, they need to go in a modestly fertile, well-drained soil in an area with some shade to stop them from drying out. If using pots, the compost mix will need to be a gritty loam, preferably a John Innes seed and cutting or a number one mixed at one-third grit twothirds loam. The cuttings should be placed evenly around the outside of the pots. Use a dibber or your finger to make a hole, place the cutting in and firm the compost down just enough to hold it firmly.
A cool greenhouse or cold frames work best. Do not let them get too hot or dry out. The Judges are out on whether to use rooting hormone powder or not. I do, but not everyone is convinced that it works, as they are not as good as they were back in the day. Patience is needed for these cuttings; unlike softwood cuttings of fuchsias that root almost immediately, hardwood cuttings can take a full year before they are ready to transplant. Do not keep poking or pulling at them to see if they have rooted yet? I used to do that and would get a thick ear. Just in case you are under forty years old, a thick ear is a smack around the head accompanied by
a very loud telling-off, usually in front of all the staff. This, like all of the good chemicals and fertilisers used in the garden, has been banned.
If the weather is especially lovely in December, sunny and dry, think about your summer holidays (no, sorry, I didn't mean that) any little spaces you may have that would benefit from some underplanted spring bulbs. It's okay to plant bulbs right up until the end of themonth, and most garden centres will still have some for you.
Another thing you can do while not thinking about your summer holidays is plan any seed sowing you will be doing later in the year, make a list, nip down to the Garden centre and spend your Christmas present money. You will also be able to acquire all of the compost, pots, trays and propagators at the same time. If you are unsure about timings for seed planting, compost to use, temperatures, etc, come and ask. I am around most days and happy to find some time for you and help with your planning.
Finally, a quick word about wild bird care: December through to April is when most seeds and berries will have disappeared from the hedgerows, woods and farmland. We gardeners must assist by leaving something out for them; fresh water is as important as a mix of feeds when everything around is frozen solid; it could be that what we put out is as urgent to them as anything found in the wild.
Some other vital foods to leave out in December are carrots and Mince pies, not freshwater this time, but a more alcoholic type. My kids are all grown up now, but I still get a special visit, the proof being that the mince pies are always eaten, and the Shepherd Neame beer bottle is empty.
Have a good Christmas, cheers
Luxury Meets Power New Aston Mar n DBX707
Nearly half of all Aston Mar ns sold are DBXs, so even supercar owners want SUVs nowadays.
Of all DBXs sold, around 90 percent were the DBX707. As a result, Aston Mar n has discon nued the other versions while upgrading its most successful model.
You may be wondering what the “707” represents as, un l you know the performance figures, it's not that obvious, yet it's so straigh orward: it's the power. That's right, this beast produces a staggering 707PS.
With the help of 900Nm of torque, the DBX707 can go from 0 to 62mph in just 3.3 seconds and tops out at 193mph, making it one of the fastest SUVs in the world.
A 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine sits beneath the bonnet, mated to a ninespeed automa c transmission, which has been tweaked and improved for quicker gear changes.
All-wheel drive and an electronic rear limited-slip differen al should help provide all the trac on you need to tackle high-speed corners, despite the car's much higher centre of gravity than the rest of Aston's range.
Its air springs and adap ve dampers have been recalibrated, helping to improve body control, while an advanced torque vectoring system op mises power distribu on across all four wheels. That helps with trac on and stability, while the dynamic drive mode selector enables you to customise performance se ngs.
As is becoming the case on all new Aston Mar ns, the front grille is larger, allowing more airflow to help with cooling. There is also a new front spli er and chiselled cheekbone air intakes out to the sides.
The rear is largely unchanged, featuring thin taillights connected to an even thinner lightbar that weaves its way around a typically Aston Mar n-styled integrated spoiler. However, the roof spoiler is slightly revised and looks more aggressive than ever.
The DBX707 retains its previous bold and athle c stance, with signature LED headlights and a choice of 22 or 23-inch alloys.
There is more carbon fibre than before, too, all in the name of weight saving, while a robust aluminium structure remains, helping keep the vehicle as lightweight as possible.
For an SUV, it should handle very well indeed. Its air suspension makes it suitable for driving on most types of terrain, meaning it should be easy to live with every day, an area in which the pre-faceli ed DBX received par cular praise.
Inside, though, is where the most significant changes are to be found. A floa ng centre console rises towards the dashboard, while the revised steering wheel has in mida ngly thick gloss piano black spokes covered in bu ons. Like the par ng of the sea, the dashboard upholstery s ll divides in the middle but now reveals Aston's brand-new infotainment system, which was developed in-house.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both supported wirelessly. S ll, Aston Mar n's na ve system looks nice to use, with easy-to-navigate menus and the promise of a very responsive 10.25-inch touchscreen.
A second 12.3-inch digital instrument display, bigger than the ones in the new DB12 and Vanquish, sits behind the steering wheel and offers informa ve and a rac ve graphics.
Happily, blending what Aston Mar n says is the “perfect balance” between physical bu ons and digi sa on is important to the iconic Bri sh manufacturer. That means there are s ll plenty of well-damped, pleasingto-press bu ons and switches do ed around the cabin, including physical controls for the air condi oning, gear selector, and drive mode, including the use of 'roller' switches.
Thanks to Aston Mar n's new partnership with premium audio specialist Bowers and Wilkins, the 23speaker hi-fi system complements the car. Although this is an op onal extra, the standard 14-speaker sound system has also been overhauled.
Intricate s tching, carbon fibre, metal, and wood all feature in places, the result of a standard of cra smanship we've come to expect from the Bri sh marque. New D-pull interior door handles and ver cal air vents are also part of the deal.
The DBX707 offers just as much room as before, including a 638-litre boot capacity and 38-litres underneath the boot floor.
All the seats offer spacious relaxa on, barring the rear middle seat if you're transpor ng three adults in the back.
The DBX707 is on sale now, with the first handful having already hit the roads.
Fast Facts
New 2025 Aston Mar n DBX707:
Ÿ Max speed: 193 mph
Ÿ 0-62 mph: 3.3 secs
Ÿ Fuel economy: 19.9 mpg
Ÿ Engine layout: V8 4.0-litre twinturbo
Ÿ CO2: 323g/km
Ÿ Max. power (PS): 707
Ÿ Price from: £205,000 on the road
It might seem a li le early to be thinking about ge ng rid of your Christmas tree – especially if you haven’t even bought it yet – but it’s something we can help you ck off your list well in advance!
A er all the fes vi es are over, we’re on hand to take away the hassle for you. We’ll have a team out and about North Herts collec ng your trees for recycling between 4th and 9th January 2025. All we ask for in exchange is a dona on to the Hospice.
We are hoping to raise around £30,000 from our Christmas Treecycling scheme this year, which could fund our en re services for two days.
Ÿ Book your Christmas Treecycling collec on here: h ps://www.ghhospicecare.org.uk/e vent/christmas-treecycling
Ÿ We can collect Christmas trees from postcodes SG1-9, SG15-18 and Al6
UNIT 12 BONDOR BUSINESS CENTRE, LONDON ROAD, BALDOCK. SG76HP
St Mary's Junior School have been really busy with their sport over the last month. With so many of our children involved with football and netball clubs, we have played many tournaments and friendlies to ensure all of our children have been chosen to represent St Mary's at least once this term in football and netball.
It was Cross Country that we really succeeded in this month. In races of the best 50 children from each school, Elijah had our best finish in year 5, finishing in 4th place. Our year 6's had fantas c results, winning the boys team event and finishing 2nd in the girls team event. Bethany overtook the pace se er with 400m to go to finish clear and become District Champion! It was the year 6 boys race that was the most entertaining race of the day.
Sporting Success at St Marys
Two of our St Marys boys and two of the boys from Whitehill ran clear of the rest of the boys to lead for the en re race. They pushed each other to very limit. Ken managed to break away at the end to come first, with Elliot bea ng his man with a great sprint to finish 3rd. As the peloton made their way to the final straight, Albie pushed hard to finish ahead of the pack in 5th posi on! Parker also finished in a respectable 17th place. All of our children have been working really hard on their X Country this year and the results really show that. A 1st, 3rd and 5th is the best team posi on in X Country history, and having 2 individual champions is the
best St Mary's have ever performed at the event. We'll be taking our children to the County event in January as a reward for their efforts.
Our netball has really improved this year and we've been winning many of our games against some tough opposi on. In football, our boys and girls have won all of their friendlies and went into the District tournaments confident. A really impressive Grange team won this year as we finished runners up. We will get another bite at regaining the trophy in March. We're all very proud of our children here at St Mary's.
Sco Hagland - PE Coordinator
Crash Care Centre Hitchin Ltd
HOMESUNDER THEHAMMER
From
Your Doorstep To Your Tv Screen
Incase you missed it, your local estate agent, Helen Celik, was invited on the tv program ‘Homes Under The Hammer’, to provide advice regarding a le ng and sales valua on for a property.
This is what she had to say:
“Totally excited to say the program was televised on the 29th October, (Call the Cops) can’t quite believe I was on tele, but I feel very honoured and proud to be invited. Very exci ng!”
Kind-hearted Local Group Send Love to Children at Christmas
Body and Soul, a Baldock-based group for re red people, has once again taken part in the Opera on Christmas Child appeal to send shoeboxes filled with gi s to children around the world. Dona ons included toys such as teddy bears, small cars and skipping ropes, crea ve supplies eg. cra kits, colouring books and crayons, and prac cal items such as toothbrushes, combs, warm socks and hats. Between them, the group were able to though ully fill 18 shoeboxes for boys and girls aged from 2 to 14 years.
Last year 11.3 million shoeboxes were sent out from across the world; this year, organisers hope to reach 12 million children. The boxes sent from Body and Soul and the local church who run the group – Christchurch Baldock – were delivered to children in the Balkans and Ukraine in 2023. The group look forward to hearing in early 2025 where this year's boxes have travelled.
Body and Soul meet on Tuesday mornings from 9.45 – 11.15 in the Baldock Community Centre. The group enjoy seated exercises with a qualified instructor, singing, brain games, a thought for the day and plenty of good chat and laughter over coffee and biscuits. If you are interested in joining, please feel free to pop in, or call Chris ne on 01462 896866.
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The Balstock Music Fes val Commi ee is overwhelmingly joyous to finally announce the total amount raised at Balstock 2024.
Through the help of bucket shaking volunteers, trader income and publicans fees this years amount raised is a staggering £15,000!!!
This amount will be divided between 5 chari es who are:
- Red Kite charity (suppor ng vic ms of rape and sexual abuse)
h ps://redkitesupport.org.uk/
- PANDAS Founda on (support for perinatal mental illness)
h ps://pandasfounda on.org.uk/
- Supported Ac vi es Programme (SAP – support for adults with a learning disability)
www.supportedac vi es.org.uk/- Road Vic ms Trust (suppor ng people who have been affected by the grief and
trauma of a road death or a serious injury or life changing injury collisions.)
h ps://rvtrust.org.uk/
- and Club 85, Hitchin (legendary local music event and community hub) h ps://club-85.co.uk/
Each of these chari es will receive £3000 to aid their efforts. If anyone reading this has been affected by one of the subjects above, please do get in touch with them.
BUT THAT’S NOT ALL!!!
Balstock has also donated £200 to the RivIvel Associa on (h ps://www.revivel.org/ )to revive the River Ivel, on behalf of our friends at the Balstock beer fest who give us an incredible amount of help.
Cheers once more to everyone that donated, performed, volunteers, Repped. You have made 5 worthy causes very happy and given much needed aid.
Next year sees ’20 years of Balstock Music Fes val’ on September 12th, 13th & 14th.
No Fuss Christmas Dinner
As we approach one of the most important meal of the year, I thought I'd give you some ps I've learned to prepare a Christmas dinner with minimal fuss. As you can imagine, being a chef, the last thing I want to do on Christmas morning is get in the kitchen and start preparing our Christmas dinner when I've just roasted more turkey crowns, roast potatoes, and pigs in blankets over the past three weeks than I'd care to imagine. However, I am a tr into the spirit of Christmas by cooking a beau ful roast turkey with all the trimmings on Christmas day.
Before we get started, it's important to know that you will spend a good 2 hours preparing this meal because it has so many componen you have a bo le of wine open next to you and some good company! You'll probably not need to worry about cooking on Boxing day either!
As always, buy the best quality ingredients you're comfortable with. Try and buy locally where possible. We have a great butcher on the High Street as well as a farm locally that produces some amazing turkeys. Support local where you can.
This recipe will feed a party of 8 with plenty of le
The first p is to buy early. Don't wait un l Christmas Eve to go shopping. All of your meat and veg will s ll be good a er 2 or 3 days in the fridge. You'll also get to pick out the best vegetables and leave yourself with enough me to run out and get something you've forgo en Start with your potatoes
It's important to get your potatoes cooking straight away because from all the components, they will take the longest to cook. You may also struggle with oven space if you try to cook everything at the same me.
¬ 3kg of King Edward potatoes
Peel your potatoes and cut them into large chunks. The important thing is to make sure that they are all roughly the same size. Put them into a large saucepan with a good pinch of table salt and slowly bring to a boil. You want to simmer them for 10 to 15 minutes or un l just about breaking apart but not mash!
Get your turkey out
¬ 3 to 3.5 kg turkey crown.
¬ Rosemary, thyme, sage & garlic
While your potatoes are on the stove, get your turkey out of the fridge and bring it to room temperature. Lay a selec on of herbs on your roas ng tray along with 5 or 6 cloves of garlic that have been crushed but s ll with the skin on. This recipe is for a turkey crown as opposed to a whole turkey. The main reason is that this is a no-fuss recipe.
to prep your veggies whilst the potatoes are on the stove. Just to help with oven space, this recipe is for boiled carrots, boiled sprouts and roasted parsnips. You can roast the carrots if you prefer.
¬ 2 kg of Chantenay carrots
¬ 2kg of Parsnips
¬ 2kg of brussel sprouts
Cut the tops of the carrots and put them into a saucepan of cold water. You don't need to peel them. Bring them to the boil and simmer un l 80% cooked. Drain off the water and return to the saucepan with the lid on. Take the outer leaves off the brussel sprouts and put them into a saucepan. Add a generous pinch of salt and bring to the boil then simmer un l 80% cooked. Drain off the water and return to the saucepan with the lid on. Peel the parsnips and cut into quarters, lengthways. Put them in a mixing bowl and toss them with some salt & olive oil. Leave them to one side.
Your potatoes should be cooked by now. Drain the water off in a colander then gently lay them on a roas ng tray and leave them outside to chill.
herbs you may have le over. Pop both trays in the oven for 15 minutes. A er 15 minutes give your parsnips a good toss so they roast evenly. Pop back in the oven for a further 10 minutes by which me they should be a beau ful golden colour. Take them out and leave them to one side. Take another roas ng tray large enough for your potatoes.
¬ 150ml of duck/goose or beef fat. (you can use regular cooking oil if you don't have any animal fat)
¬ 3 sprigs of rosemary
¬ 1/3 of a sprig of thyme
¬ 8 Cloves of garlic (crushed with the skin on)
Pop the tray with the fat in the oven for 10 minutes to heat up. Once hot, remove the tray from the oven and gently put your boiled potatoes in the hot fat. Gently roll the potatoes in the fat to ensure every part of the potatoes are covered in the fat. Add the herbs & garlic and put the tray with the potatoes in the oven for 25 minutes. A er 25 minutes give the potatoes and good toss in the fat to ensure they roast evenly. This will also be a good me to check
your turkey. If you have a meat thermometer you're looking for the temperature in the middle of the thickest part to be at least 65°C. If you don't have a meat thermometer then pierce a hole into the thickest part of the breast and wait for the juices to bleed out. If the juices are clear then the turkey is cooked. For a 3kg boneless breast, the cooking me from room temperature is roughly an hour. Pop the potatoes back in the oven for a further 25 minutes along with the turkey if needed.
Let's cook the pigs in blanket and re heat the veggies
I prefer chipolata pigs in a blanket because the bacon stays wrapped around the chipolata be er but also you only need to give one per por on as they're longer, saving valuable oven space.
Transfer the parsnips to an oven-proof dish and use the same tray for the bigs in blanket. Lay them flat on the tray and pop them into the oven once the potatoes & turkey are cooked. They'll take around 20 minutes to cook. Once the potatoes have come out of the oven give them a sprinkle of salt and give
them a good mix. Put the carrots & sprouts on low heat along with a knob of bu er. Drizzle some honey on the carrots.
Make the gravy
Li the turkey out of the tray and leave it on the chopping board. Leave it to rest for at least 15 minutes. Do not cover it otherwise that crispy skin won't stay crispy! Put the roas ng tray with all the roas ng juices on the stove on a low flame.
Ÿ 2 tablespoons of plain flour (you can use gluten-free flour if needed)
Ÿ Whisk the flour into the roas ng juices and cook for 5 minutes.
Ÿ 400ml of chicken stock
Add the stock to the roas ng tray and bring to a boil whilst whisking un l smooth.
TASTE! Add salt if needed. It won't be a cardinal sin if you want to add a spoon of gravy granules. I do at home! Once the gravy is at the right consistency pour it into a jug through a sieve so its smooth.
Let's plate up
This is the hard part, bringing everything together whilst it's all hot.
Pop the parsnips in the oven for 5 minutes. Plate up the sprouts, carrots & roast potatoes as they should all s ll be hot. Carve your turkey, not too thick and not too thin. A cm-thick slice is just about right. Take your pigs in blanket and parsnips from the oven and plate those up. Pour your hot gravy over the meat and leave the rest on the table. Finish each plate with a pinch of salt. Take the crackers, wine & cranberry sauce to the table and enjoy your Christmas dinner. You've deserved it! Please let me know how you get on with this recipe. Did I even save you any me or did this take longer than the me you usually spend?
Could I take this opportunity to thank you all for reading my recipes throughout the year. I hope there were a few that you found useful. All of us at Eight would also like to wish you all a happy Christmas and a bright and frui ul new year. We look forward to welcoming you to the restaurant in 2025!
Kish
The Farmers on Christmas Lights Tour is back for another year in aid of Garden House Hospice Care, bringing wonderful fes ve cheer tractor-style just a few days before Christmas. The convoy of tractors and farm vehicles will be draped in flashing lights, snowmen, snowflakes and Christmas trees – it truly is a spectacle and a wonderful community event for all the family.
Ÿ 6pm – Baldock
Ÿ 6.45pm – Letchworth
Ÿ 7.30pm – Hitchin
Our aim is to raise £50,000 in dona ons, which will pay for one week of care for all pa ents on our Inpa ent Unit over the fes ve season, including the cost of nursing and our doctors, and running costs like water and keeping the unit clean. Every pound raised really will make a difference. Volunteers will be visible with collec on ns on the night, or you can donate via h ps://justgiving.com/campaign/xmas tractors24 or by tex ng TRACTOR to 70460 to donate £5. Texts will cost the dona on amount plus one standard network rate message.
danny Wins the Title
Back at the beginning of November 17 year old Danny Ball, travelled down to Hayes in Middlesex, to box in the ABA youth championship final and become they first champion out of the newly put together amateur squad
The contest consis ng of 3 x 2 minute championship rounds, which Danny won convincingly, against a tough opponent, that did on occasions look like he would be stopped, but managed to last un l the final bell.
On the 16th the team travelled to Balham Boxing Club, in London, where Danny & team mate Luca both fought in the Amateurs. Danny figh ng a boy in the league above, older, heavier and more experienced and Luca having his first ou ng in Amateurs… Both came through with flying colours. Danny boxed great, despite ge ng a public warning for an accidental low blow and s ll won unanimously and Luca boxed well within himself and also won by unanimous decision
At the end of the month Dannys younger brother Jamie and team mate Kacey fought in Barnstable. Kacey was first up and she didn’t disappoint… she was on her opponent from the off and never le her alone, producing a quality performance and stopping her opponent in the second round. Up next came Jamie and what a display he put on , a class act. Boxing a more experienced boy, but you wouldn’t of known it. Excellent skills from start to finish and a well earned unanimous decision
Danny fights out of the No Mercy Champs Camp in Hitchin run by Gary Nickels, who himself won the ABA tle in 1978 and went to fight at the Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, before turning professional.
Garys mission is to take the club to the top and create an elite group that will represent it going forward, with the junior group feeding the boys and girls through to the boxing team.
Mark Kitchener
Graham Tirrell, Martin Ball Danny Ball & Gary Nickels
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Please send your local snaps new or old to our facebook page or email info@onourdoorstepbaldock.co.uk
Madeleine Jarvis born 21st October. We visited Standalone farm on the 31st and picked a pumpkin!
Robert Jarvis
Gracie & Gunner in Autumnal Clothall Common
Kevin Thompson
Well done Kim Brewer for a wonderful post box topper!
RedLift Hire helping with the Cristmas Lights
Mark Hardman
Puddleducks Nursery after their Ofsted inspection
Squirrel foraging at Radwell.
Early start at the station for Brewbox - Matthew Bartlett
Crabtree Lane in Baldock on a beautiful, autumnal day. -Joanne Seaton
